NetThings : Do smart meters enable smarter
buildings?
Ken McCorkindale: Co-Founder, Ewgeco
1st generation energy displays
• The 1st multi-channel real time display device.
Electricity, water, gas, heat, renewables ….
• Intuitive and simple, easy to understand - minimal
effort
• Persistent user engagement, behaviour change
leads to reduced consumption.
• Designed in 2007 – pre-smart phones
• Intuitive, engaging web service
Small display in large office
spaces – staff notice it and
understand at a glance
It has to be easy
Most users just want the at
a glance information.
Some use additional
functionality.
• Dashboard interfaces update in real time (nearly)
• Collect data from multiple zones for centralised viewing & analytics
• Provide staff with simple PC based interfaces for comparison/targeting
• Export data to third party data analytics platforms
• Combination of local displays and web based interface improves
engagement
Well designed local displays deliver savings to
domestic homes
• 2010-12: UK Government CERT scheme rolled out millions of low value
energy displays – consumers did not engage well, utilities saw little
benefit. <1% savings.
•
The CERT displays involved were poorly designed, users don’t engage
with poor design, so they don’t change behaviour
•
Smart meter roll-out business case relies upon consumers changing
behaviour. User engagement is critical for success.
•
Ewgeco social housing scheme 50 houses – average reduction in energy
use of 16.5%.
•
Global study shows smart meters with IHDs save average 8.7% (Vassa
ETT)
•
Make it simple, intuitive and useful and users will engage
Well designed local displays deliver savings to
businesses
• Simplicity
– Energy management without the need to log in
– Highly visible but unobtrusive – at a glance understanding
– Instant feedback when behaviour is changed
• Cost Savings
– Immediate results – staff see effects of actions
– Persistent savings – display becomes part of daily pattern
– ROI for systems is normally less than 1 year
• Behaviour change
– Engage and empower all staff in energy efficiency
– Energy Champion programmes
– Displays can unlock additional savings through staff engagement
Next Generation Displays
•
Better technology - more affordable
•
Enabling more engaging UI design
Usage pattern
today so far
Current
consumption
compared to
target
Touch screen
•
Simple, easy to understand, relevant & timely information helps us
make good decisions about our energy use
Consumers expectations are changing
I want information & advice on my preferred interface
The right information at the right time to help me make decisions
Consumer behaviour & expectations are
different on different interfaces
Web service – user spends more time, usually sitting, detail, analysis
Mobile device – seconds, on the move, high level, instant, fast response
Energy display device – walking by, at a glance, standing, 1-2 minutes
Smart meters will give us lots of data - more
engagement? more behaviour change?
•
What motivates users to change behaviour? Can technology help?
•
Timing is important – when are users most receptive to messages.
Reminders at the decision point. Feedback at the point of experience.
•
Trust – consumers needs to trust the technology to serve them
reliably.
•
Design to respond to the motivations different people have for
changing behaviour, some want to save money, some want to care
for the environment, some are motivated simply by not wanting to
waste.
Smart meters can help us design better building
energy management solutions
Use energy data to deliver targeted and timely messages
Incentivise users to care and take action
Introduce automated control - how much automation will consumers
accept/desire?
People are busy
Not another gadget
OK, I’m using too much, tell me what to do!
People change behaviour when they’re
engaged & incentivised
Reasons people change behaviour:
comfort, convenience, control, money, fun, fear
Make Energy Information Relevant
•
People are influenced by their social network, showing energy usage
& behaviour in the context of their peers, neighbours & family helps
make it a subject they engage with
•
How does my energy use compare with colleagues, other offices,
teams?
Domestic consumers behaviour - Opower
•
How we feel we compare with others can strongly influence our
behaviour
•
Opportunities to share information, create common goals within teams
What if we could provide feedback and deliver
automated consumer control in almost real time?
We’d need a lot of stuff going on in the background……..
•
•
•
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Sensors to collect lots of different data
A means of sending it all to a central location
Data analytics to make sense of it
Algorithms to change the data into meaningful communications to send back
to targeted users
•
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User interfaces to deliver messages in a compelling/engaging way
Controls to enable user choices to be instantly turned into actions that reduce
energy wastage
•
Feedback to tell the user that he’s made a change and it’s had a positive
effect
The UK smart meter model
Metering data is kept within the dashed red line (below). Two places where a third-party product or
service can, with the consumer’s permission, reach across this line to access metering data:
[1] Remotely from the DCC This would typically be a service that the consumer signs-up to online.
[2] Locally in the home via an In Home Display - IHD
[3] Consumer Access Device. This would typically be self-installed by the consumer.
Customer services that directly engage staff
Coffee Shops UK
John
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Targeted messages to staff
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Comparisons to similar stores
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Monetary incentive
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Timing, motivation, trust
•
Persistent engagement
Targeted feedback and instant control choices
•
Build trust with users and they will feel comfortable to delegate
control to automation
Engagement & communications
How it should be….
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Big data, business intelligence, next gen analytics will deliver more
effective targeted communications to staff and end-users
•
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Personalised value (products and services)
But its one way communication
Opportunity to better engage with consumers, co-creation,
co-innovation
•
Let consumers share in the creation of value and they’ll engage better
and change behaviour